RIGHT BESIDE CORCOVADO NATIONAL PARK: Unlimited use of the 15 km of amazing trails, with waterfalls, rivers, primary and secondary forest, and spectacular views of the Golfo Dulce and Corcovado Park, Sleep in the open air rooms surrounded by nature, and wake up to the sounds of birds and howler monkeys. Visit the neighboring village of Dos Brazos (Tigre) for gold mining, bird, and horse tours, or just relax in a hammock. Full kitchen facilities on site, with fresh spring fed drinking water. You just need to bring your clothes, food, and a flashlight. No refrigeration on site. Solar powered USB charging station for phones and small devices.
If you see a ghecko on the wall and smile (rather than freak out) this place is for you!
Also, if you love to be immersed in nature, are ok with no electricity (they do have wifi though), love to hike then this is a MUST GO in Costa Rica.
The rooms have 3 walls and a roof, where the 4th wall would be is open to the rainforest. The dorms are even more open. There is lovely drinkable running water and some non-perishable foods you can purchase - not to mention some hard liquor drinks available to purchase. We bought some rum as we had found a fallen Soursop and so we ate the fruit and added the juice to our rum! Most delicious!
The 16 km of trails are easy to find and simply stunning. Good walking shoes that you don't mind getting wet and muddy are a must.
Absolutely my favourite part of our travels!
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Date of stay: January 2020
Location
Sleep Quality
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Bolita became a second home for us while we stayed in Dos Brazos. Kindness goes a long way and Ron, co-owner of Bolita, understands that perfectly. Even though we were staying in the village of Dos Brazos for several weeks we were, upon paying only once 10 USD each, daily welcome to use whatever Bolita has to offer. And that’s a lot!
We gratefully accepted Ron’s utmost kind offer and, even though the hike from Dos Brazos can be at times little bit hard, we almost went daily to Bolita. It just shows how magic this place is! We ate our lunch, enjoyed the view and silence and sometimes did a hike. In the meantime Ron explained us how to do a border run, which bus to take and gave us so much other practical tips.
Even though we didn’t sleep in Bolita, we heard people raving how quiet is it during night. What we can tell is that during day it’s truly beautiful: so many animals and such a majestic open view on the surrounding jungle. It’s really remote, but that’s what makes this place so unique.
During our stay in Dos Brazos we did several hikes in Bolita, some even several times. It was a true joy to hike each of them: the trails are very well maintained, are adventurous and have stunning views. Most of them are of moderate level. During the hikes you can see colorful frogs, snakes, birds, anteaters, armadillo and monkeys. While wading through the water you encounter several waterfalls, often with nobody around. It’s a truly magic feeling exploring the jungle in this way. And so cheap too (just 10 USD each)! The entry price of Bolita is just a fraction of what you would pay to enter the neighboring Corcovado NP. Please choose value for your money and visit therefor Ron’s Bolita!
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Date of stay: January 2020
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I volunteered at bolita for 2 and a half weeks and it was amazing. The hostel is right in the middle of the jungle and you get into nature’s rhythm straight away with the sunrise hikes. Ronnie made me feel super welcome and comfortable as soon as he picked me up and was always really caring towards volunteers and guests. I had never done anything with naturalism before and it was a great safe environment to start, especially easing into it by starting on hikes and in waterfalls. Everyone should come here it’s one of the most amazing places I’ve ever been.
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Date of stay: March 2021Trip type: Travelled solo
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It takes a certain type of person to get to a hotel in the middle of a jungle and you will not be disappointed by the guests and volunteers there. Waking up and sleeping in the nature is like magic, the trails are more wild than most places and makes you appreciate the jungle much more. The hostel itself has everything you need, but one should rather prepare and bring enough drinks and food yourself since there is very limited stuff in the hostel and nearby village. The internet is quite slow, as mentioned in the description but if one goes there to surf the web, then you're probably doing something wrong anyways.
Highly recommend for an unforgettable experience.
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Date of stay: April 2021Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The Bolita jungle hostel truly is a magical place! It is the perfect spot to immerse yourself into nature and to find tranquility. It is beautifully located in the heart of the jungle, provides nice accommodations and extraordinarily amazing hiking trails to hidden waterfalls and stunning views. Being awakened by the song of the howler monkeys and the first rays of sun you can start your day peacefully and follow your own pace in this off-grid environment. The jungle hostel definitely is an amazing space to get in contact with yourself and others! It was a beautiful experience to connect to nature and other unique human beings!
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Date of stay: December 2020
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Very nice hostel in the middle of the jungle. From the office you have a beautiful and challenging 30 to 40 minutes hike till you get to the hostel. Only bring the most important stuff, you really don’t need much! The hostel is very open and you live directly in and with the nature. Every morning you can see hummingbirds, there are tucans and Scarlett macaws around and hiking you can see monkeys and a lot more if you’re lucky! It’s a clothing optional hostel and me as a woman I felt really comfortable being (half) naked, living with men and women together. The dorm is very open but every bed has a mosquitonet, there are also private cabins with a nice terrace and a nice view into the nature. The kitchen has everything you need and you can also buy the most important things like pasta and sauce or beans.
The trails are beautiful and very natural, there are waterfalls, rivers, lookouts with ocean view and also primary and secondary forests.
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Travelled solo
Room Tip: Don’t take too much stuff up there.
Spend more than one or two nights, for experiencing nature...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My spouse and I just spent 3 days at La Bolita Rainforest Hostel, and loved the place. There is a variety of trails on the property that allow you to explore the jungle and the abundant bird life there. I especially liked the loop trail down Bonanza Creek and the Rio Tigre. The cost is very affordable, since one brings one's own food. We slept in a cabina that was open on one side, giving a great jungle view. The beds were comfortable. Another benefit is spending time with the eclectic group of fellow travelers from around the world. La Bolita is reachable via a collectivo bus from Puerto Jimenez. The proprietor Ron was very welcoming and available to orient us. One neat feature - we charged our cell phones with solar panels!
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Date of stay: January 2023
Value
Location
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This place is amazing. Only a 20 minute hike from town, but worlds away from regular life. I've stayed here several times over the years, and it just keeps getting better and better. Now there are cabinas where you can get a little privacy if you want to, as well as the dorms for travelers on a budget. Where else can you sleep for $12 a night, including trail fees?! I woke up to the sounds of howler monkeys, and listened to toucans, scarlet macaws, and a ton of other birds all day long.
The owners are super nice and friendly, too. I felt welcomed, taken care of, and completely free to explore, reflect, and just be in nature. Another cool thing is you can visit the beach if you want to, on a day trip. Playa Preciosa is accessible by bus or taxi and it was the perfect contrast to life in the jungle! I have also stayed in the house run by the same owners, called Casa Bolita. It was halfway between the little town and the rainforest hostel, and perfect for a small group or family who wants more creature comforts.
Bottom line: If you want to unwind in the middle of the rainforest, both places are perfect. Just be sure to buy your food in Puerto Jimenez before your last leg of the journey to Dos Brazos, because then you can just stay put and take it all in. HIGHLY recommended.
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Date of stay: August 2021
Value
Location
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Once in the forest leading to the hostel, you can already feel a different atmosphere. Surrounded by all those animals sounds, you are entering in a new world. We've been volunteering in the place for 2 weeks, Ronnie is a great host, he'll explain to you everything about the place and the tracks. While hiking to the waterfalls and river, you could watch toucans, parrots, monkeys, frogs... you're definitely into Corcovado National Park, which contains 2,5% of the world biodiversity! The hostel is really simple but will provide everything you need for your stay. Open showers, open kitchen, open living room, open sport and yoga platform... In fact, everything is open on nature, no walls needed to enjoy the music of the forest! I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy this place in the middle of the jungle.... But first, you'll need to walk about 30 minutes to reach it from the road :)
Thank you again Ronnie,
Max & Ben
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Date of stay: January 2021Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This place is amazing in the middle of nature. You feel after one night already, falling asleep with the jungle sounds and waking up with the howl monkeys, one with nature. The hostel has a whole no-waste ecosystem worked out and a deck to practice yoga or just hang. The hiking trails give you a taste of the amazing Corcovado National Park from parrots to waterfalls; everything included! Mesmerizing and surely worth it!
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Date of stay: December 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I would still do both. Both are different experiences and very worth it.
We saw toucans out our window every day at Bolita (was fantastic!) and there are a lot of frogs in the area. There are also sloths but we never got to see them unfortunately. The atmosphere at Bolita was so relaxed and the scenery is stunning. I felt refreshed and rejuvenated when we left there.
We also did a two day hike into the national park - there is no point in doing the one day hike. You only get so far befor you have to turn around and there is little reward. What you see largely depends on your guide, however. We had a wonderful guide, Roger, who was organised through the very kind owners of the hotel / hostel Oro Verde (I would highly recommend to stay there while in Puerto Jimenez. It's cheap, clean and the owners really go out of their way for you). Roger was incredible. He knows the forest well and knows how to track animals. We saw everything from tapirs to ant eaters to even a puma! It was a long two days but I am so glad we did it. Other people hiking on the same day as us zoomed past with their guide who didn't seem to care much about what was going on and they hardly saw anything. Be careful who you book with!
Just contact the Bolita hostel. There is a contact form on their website. I can't put their email here. It is bolitahostel. Gmail. You can also google : workaway. It is a volunteer site. Click on host list. Look for Central America and Bolita.
"Pack light, don't bring extra clothes. You can wash them in the hostel. It's humid up there, but clothes dry very well on your body :) and keep you fresh as a bonus :)"
There are more places to choose from in the Puerto Jimenez area.
PRICE RANGE
S$46 - S$46 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of PuntarenasOsa PeninsulaPuerto Jimenez
NUMBER OF ROOMS
17
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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